1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus and method which allows a user to see a stereoscopic image by displaying an image for the left eye to the left eye of the user and displaying an image for the right eye to the right eye of the user, and to a storage medium storing such a method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of stereoscopic display apparatuses which allow a user to see a stereoscopic image by displaying an image for the left eye to the left eye of the user and displaying an image for the right eye to the right eye of the user have been proposed. For example, in a polarizing-spectacle type, left and right images are displayed using plane-polarized light beams whose wave surfaces are polarized in a horizontal direction and in a vertical direction, respectively, or vice versa, and the user can see a stereoscopic image by wearing polarizing spectacles.
In a liquid-crystal-shutter-spectacle type, left and right images are displayed by being switched with a frequency of at least 90 Hz, more preferably, 120-150 Hz, and the user can see a stereoscopic image by wearing liquid-crystal-shutter spectacles. In a lenticular-lens type, a lenticular lens is attached on a picture surface, and a stereoscopic image is provided by deflecting optical paths so that one of two adjacent points is seen only by the left eye and the other point is seen only by the right eye. There is also a parallax-barrier type, in which fine slits are attached on a picture surface, and a stereoscopic image is provided by arranging so that one of two adjacent points is seen only by the left eye and the other point is seen only by the right eye.
In an HMD (head mounted display) type, a stereoscopic image is provided by displaying an image for the left eye on the left display surface of an HMD and displaying an image for the right eye on the right display surface of the HMD.
However, in the above-described conventional stereoscopic-image display apparatuses, in order to display a stereoscopic image by reading two image files corresponding to a. pair of left and right stereoscopic images from a storage device, the user must input a file name of each of the two image files (i.e., the user must input file names twice), thereby requiring time and trouble for inputting the file names.
In order to display a plurality of stereoscopic images, the user must assign pairs of left and right stereoscopic images corresponding to the number of stereoscopic images, thereby requiring an increased burden for the user.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stereoscopic-image display apparatus and method which can reduce the burden of inputting file names when the user displays a plurality of stereoscopic images, and a storage medium storing such a method.
According to one aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes input means for defining a file name including a portion where a part of a character string regularly changes and a portion where a character string does not change, for each member of a set of image files corresponding to a plurality of images having a parallax between left and right eyes, and for inputting the character string to the portion where the character string does not change, addition means for adding the character string of the regularly changing portion to the character string input by the input means, and image determination means for making images corresponding to file names in each of which the character string has been added by the addition means, to be images corresponding to the left and right eyes.
It is preferable that the image determination means makes images corresponding to an m(a positive integer)-th file name and an n(a positive integer different from m)-th file name to be a first image for the left eye and a first image for the right eye, respectively, and makes images corresponding to an (m+k(k being a positive integer))-th file name and an (n+k)-th file name to be a k-th image for the left eye and a k-th image for the right eye, respectively.
According to another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes an input step of defining a file name including a portion where a part of a character string regularly changes and a portion where a character string does not change, for each member of a set of image files corresponding to a plurality of images having a parallax between left and right eyes, and for inputting the character string to the portion where the character string does not change, an addition step of adding the character string of the regularly changing portion to the character string input in the input step, and an image determination step of making images whose file names, for each of which the character string is added in the addition step, to be images corresponding to the left and right eyes.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes an input step of defining a file name including a portion where a part of a character string regularly changes and a portion where a character string does not change, for each member of a set of image files corresponding to a plurality of images having a parallax between left and right eyes, and for inputting the character string to the portion where the character string does not change, an addition step of adding the character string of the regularly changing portion to the character string input in the input step, and an image determination step of making images whose file names, for each of which the character string is added in the addition step, to be images corresponding to the left and right eyes.
According to yet another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes input means for inputting a character string of a portion common to two image-file names corresponding to an arbitrary pair of stereoscopic images when selecting the stereoscopic images from a plurality of image files, and identifier addition means for adding an identifier for a left eye or a right eye to the character string input by the input means. Two image files having the identifier added by the identifier addition means are read as a pair of stereoscopic images for the left eye and the right eye.
According to yet a further aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes file-name input means for inputting a character string of one of two image-file names corresponding to an arbitrary pair of stereoscopic images when selecting the pair of stereoscopic images from a plurality of image files, identifier replacement means for replacing an identifier for a left eye or a right eye present at a predetermined position in the character string input by the file-name input means with an identifier for the right eye or the left eye, respectively, and reading means for reading two image files having a file name for the left eye or the right eye input by the file-name input means and a file name for the right eye or the left eye where the identifier has been replaced by the identifier replacement means, as a pair of stereoscopic images for the left eye and the right eye.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes an input step of inputting a character string of a portion common to two image-file names corresponding to an arbitrary pair of stereoscopic images when selecting the pair of stereoscopic images from a plurality of image files, an identifier addition step of adding an identifier for a left eye or a right eye to the character string input in the input step, and a reading step of reading two image files having the identifier added in the identifier addition step as a pair of stereoscopic images for the left eye and the right eye.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a file-name input step of inputting a character string of one of two image-file names corresponding to an arbitrary pair of stereoscopic images when selecting the pair of stereoscopic images from a plurality of image files, an identifier replacement step of replacing an identifier for a left eye or a right eye present at a predetermined position in the character string input in the file-name input step with an identifier for the right eye or the left eye, respectively, and a reading step of reading two image files having a file name for the left eye or the right eye input by the file-name input means and a file name for the right eye or the left eye where the identifier has been replaced in the identifier replacement step, as a pair of stereoscopic images for the left eye and the right eye.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes execution of an input step of inputting a character string of a portion common to two image file names corresponding to an arbitrary pair of stereoscopic images when selecting the pair of stereoscopic images from a plurality of image files, an identifier addition step of adding an identifier for a left eye or a right eye to the character string input in the input step, and a reading step of reading two image files having the identifier added in the identifier addition step as a pair of stereoscopic images for the left eye and the right eye.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes execution of a file-name input step of inputting a character string of one of two image file names corresponding to an arbitrary pair of stereoscopic images when selecting the pair of stereoscopic images from a plurality of image files, an identifier replacement step of replacing an identifier for a left eye or a right eye present at a predetermined position in the character string input in the file-name input step with an identifier for the right eye or the left eye, respectively, and a reading step of reading two image files having a file name for the left eye or the right eye input in the file-name input step and a file name for the right eye or the left eye where the identifier has been replaced in the identifier replacement step, as a pair of stereoscopic images for the left eye and the right eye.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes display-order reading means for reading information assigning an order of display of a plurality of stereoscopic images from a file, and stereoscopic-image display means for sequentially displaying the plurality of stereoscopic images in accordance with the order indicated by the information read by the display-order reading means.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes display-order input means for inputting information assigning an order of display of a plurality of stereoscopic images, in accordance with an instruction of a user, and stereoscopic-image display means for sequentially displaying the plurality of stereoscopic images in accordance with the order indicated by the information input by the display-order input means.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes horizontal-interval input means for inputting, when a number consecutively changing so as to correspond to a change in the contents of an image is given to a part of each of respective file names of a plurality of image files, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, and two image files separated by an interval between the values of numbers, each given to the part of the corresponding file name, are made to be image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the interval between the numerical values in accordance with an instruction of a user. The apparatus also includes stereoscopic-image-file determination means for automatically determining two image files, each having one of two numbers having the interval between the numerical values input by the horizontal-interval input means as a part of a file name, as image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and stereoscopic-image display means for displaying the image files of the stereoscopic images determined by the stereoscopic-image-file determination means in an ascending order or a descending order of the values of numbers, each given to the part of the corresponding image file name.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes horizontal-frame-interval input means for inputting, when a plurality of image frames, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, are stored in an image file in an order of changes of the contents of respective images, and two image frames separated by a predetermined frame interval fromamong the plurality of image frames stored in the image file are made to be a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the frame interval in accordance with an instruction of a user. The apparatus also includes stereoscopic-image determination means for automatically determining two image files having the frame interval input by the horizontal-frame-interval input means, as a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and stereoscopic-image display means for displaying the stereoscopic images determined by the stereoscopic-image determination means in an order of storage of the image frames.
According to still another aspect, the present invention for achieving the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes horizontal-frame-interval input means for inputting, when a plurality of image frames, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, are stored in a plurality of image files which are referred from a file in an order of changes of the contents of respective images, and two image frames separated by a predetermined frame interval from among the plurality of image frames stored in the plurality of image files which are referred from the file are made to be a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the frame interval in accordance with an instruction of a user. The apparatus also includes stereoscopic-image determination means for automatically determining two image files having the frame interval input by the horizontal-frame-interval input means, as a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and stereoscopic-image display means for displaying a stereoscopic image represented by the pair of left and right stereoscopic images determined by the stereoscopic-image determination means in an order of reference from the file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a display-order reading step of reading information assigning an order of display of a plurality of stereoscopic images from a file, and a stereoscopic-image display step of sequentially displaying the plurality of stereoscopic images in accordance with the order indicated by the information read in the display-order reading step.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a display-order input step of inputting information assigning an order of display of a plurality of stereoscopic images, in accordance with an instruction of a user, and a stereoscopic-image display step of sequentially displaying the plurality of stereoscopic images in accordance with the order indicated by the information input in the display-order input step.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a horizontal-interval input step of inputting, when a consecutively changing number corresponding to a change in the contents of an image is given to a part of each of respective file names of a plurality of image files, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, and two image files separated by an interval between the values of numbers, each given to the part of the corresponding file name, are made to be image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the interval between the numerical values in accordance with an instruction of a user. The method also includes a stereoscopic-image-file determination step of automatically determining two image files, each having one of two numbers having the interval between the numerical values input in the horizontal-interval input step as a part of a file name, as image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and a stereoscopic-image display step of displaying the image files of the stereoscopic images determined in the stereoscopic-image-file determination step in an ascending order or a descending order of the values of numbers, each given to the part of the corresponding image file name.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a horizontal-frame-interval input step of inputting, when a plurality of image frames, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, are stored in an image file in an order of changes of the. contents of respective images, and two image frames separated by a predetermined frame interval from among the plurality of image frames stored in the image file are made to be a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the frame interval in accordance with an instruction of a user. The method also includes a stereoscopic-image determination step of automatically determining two image files having the frame interval input in the horizontal-frame-interval input step as a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and a stereoscopic-image display step of displaying the stereoscopic images determined in the stereoscopic-image determination step in an order of storage of the image frames.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a horizontal-frame-interval input step of inputting, when a plurality of image frames, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, are stored in a plurality of image files which are referred from a file in an order of changes of the contents of respective images, and two image frames separated by a predetermined frame interval from among the plurality of image frames stored in the plurality of image files which are referred from the file are made to be a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the frame interval in accordance with an instruction of a user. The method also includes a stereoscopic-image determination step of automatically determining two image files having the frame interval input in the horizontal-frame-interval input step as a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and a stereoscopic-image display step of displaying the stereoscopic images determined in the stereoscopic-image determination step in an order of reference from the file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes a display-order reading procedure of reading information assigning an order of display of a plurality of stereoscopic images from a file, and a stereoscopic-image display procedure of sequentially displaying the plurality of stereoscopic images in accordance with the order indicated by the information read in the display-order reading procedure.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes a display-order input procedure of inputting information assigning an order of display of a plurality of stereoscopic images, in accordance with an instruction of a user, and a stereoscopic-image display procedure of sequentially displaying the plurality of stereoscopic images in accordance with the order indicated by the information input in the display-order input procedure.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes a horizontal-interval input procedure of inputting, when a consecutively changing number corresponding to a change in the contents of an image is given to a part of each of respective file names of a plurality of image files, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, and two image files separated by an interval between the values of numerals, each given to the part of the corresponding file name, are made to be image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the interval between the numerical values in accordance with an instruction of a user. The program also includes a stereoscopic-image-file determination procedure of automatically determining two image files, each having one of two numbers having the interval between the numerical values input in the horizontal-interval input procedure as a part of a file name, as image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and a stereoscopic-image display procedure of displaying the image files of the stereoscopic images determined in the stereoscopic-image-file determination procedure in an ascending order or a descending order of the values of numbers, each given to the part of the corresponding image file name.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes a horizontal-frame-interval input procedure of inputting, when a plurality of image frames, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, are stored in an image file in an order of changes of the contents of respective images, and two image frames separated by a predetermined frame interval from among the plurality of image frames stored in the image file are made to be a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the frame interval in accordance with an instruction of a user. The program also includes a stereoscopic-image determination procedure of automatically determining two image files having the frame interval input in the horizontal-frame-interval input procedure as a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and a stereoscopic-image display procedure of displaying the stereoscopic images determined in the stereoscopic-image determination procedure in an order of storage of the image frames.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes a horizontal-frame-interval input procedure of inputting, when a plurality of image frames, each having an image which rotates with a constant angle in a predetermined direction, are stored in a plurality of image files which are referred from a file in an order of changes of the contents of respective images, and two image frames separated by a predetermined frame interval from among the plurality of image frames stored in the plurality of image files which are referred from the file are made to be a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, the frame interval in accordance with an instruction of a user. The program also includes a stereoscopic-image determination procedure of automatically determining two image files having the frame interval input in the horizontal-frame-interval input procedure as a pair of left and right stereoscopic images, and a stereoscopic-image display procedure of displaying the stereoscopic images determined in the stereoscopic-image determination procedure in an order of reference from the file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The apparatus includes stereoscopic-image-setting reading means for reading setting values relating to formation or display of a stereoscopic image which is not contained in the image files of the stereoscopic images from a predetermined file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files representing a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a stereoscopic-image-setting storage step of storing setting values relating to formation or display of a stereoscopic image which is not contained in the image files of the stereoscopic images in a predetermined file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The method includes a stereoscopic-image-setting reading step of reading setting values relating to formation or display of a stereoscopic image which is not contained in the image files of the stereoscopic images, from a predetermined file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes a stereoscopic-image-setting storage procedure of storing setting values relating to formation or display of a stereoscopic image which is not contained in the image files of the stereoscopic images in a predetermined file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for reading and displaying image files of a pair of left and right stereoscopic images. The program includes a stereoscopic-image-setting reading procedure of reading setting values relating to formation or display of a stereoscopic image which is not contained in the image files of the stereoscopic images, from a predetermined file.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for displaying a stereoscopic image formed by alternately synthesizing a pair of left and right images with a constant interval adapted to display characteristics of a display on the display. The apparatus includes synthesis-order inversion means for inverting an order of synthesis of the left and right images.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display apparatus for displaying a stereoscopic image formed by alternately synthesizing a pair of left and right images with a constant interval adapted to display characteristics of a display on the display. The apparatus includes display-position moving means for performing display by moving a display position of the stereoscopic image by a constant interval adapted to the display characteristics of the display.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for displaying a stereoscopic image formed by alternately synthesizing a pair of left and right images with a constant interval adapted to display characteristics of a display on the display. The method includes a synthesis-order inversion step of inverting an order of synthesis of the left and right images.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a stereoscopic-image display method for displaying a stereoscopic image formed by alternately synthesizing a pair of left and right images with a constant interval adapted to display characteristics of a display on the display. The method includes a display-position moving step of performing display by moving a display position of the stereoscopic image by a constant interval adapted to the display characteristics of the display.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for displaying a stereoscopic image formed by alternately synthesizing a pair of left and right images with a constant interval adapted to display characteristics of a display on the display. The program includes a synthesis-order inversion procedure of inverting an order of synthesis of the left and right images.
According to still another aspect, the present invention which. achieves the above-described object relates to a storage medium storing a program, capable of being executed by a computer, for displaying a stereoscopic image formed by alternately synthesizing a pair of left and right images with a constant interval adapted to display characteristics of a display on the display. The program includes a display-position moving procedure of performing display by moving a display position of the stereoscopic image by a constant interval adapted to the display characteristics of the display.
The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.